Assessing the Ability of Incineration to Inactivate CWD Prions from Carcasses
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurologic disease of cervids, presents a monumental management challenge, in part because the etiologic agent, an infectious prion, can be transmitted directly or indirectly and is extremely difficult to inactivate. As CWD expands geographically and increases in prevalence, additional disposal options are desired to safely dispose of CWD-contaminated tissues and carcasses.
What is the issue?
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurologic disease of cervids, presents a monumental management challenge, in part because the etiologic agent, an infectious prion, can be transmitted directly or indirectly and is extremely difficult to inactivate. As CWD expands geographically and increases in prevalence, additional disposal options are desired to safely dispose of CWD-contaminated tissues and carcasses.
Disposal options for CWD-contaminated animal carcasses are limited. Prion inactivation requires high temperatures or strong chemical disinfectants. Landfill operators are hesitant to accept CWD-contaminated animal carcasses. Incineration is one method used to dispose of infected carcasses and has been shown to inactivate prions in laboratory studies under appropriate conditions. However, the efficacy of incineration in the field (e.g., using mobile incineration units) has not been evaluated.
What is the issue?
Disposal options for CWD-contaminated carcasses are limited. Prion inactivation requires high heat or strong chemical disinfectants, and landfill operators are often reluctant to accept contaminated carcasses. Incineration has been shown to inactivated prions in laboratory studies, but its field efficacy, particularly using mobile incineration units, remains untested.
What’s at stake?
Proper disposal of CWD-infected carcasses is critical for management agencies seeking to limit or prevent new infections and environmental contamination.
What is our approach?
We're pairing a field-ready mobile incineration unit with ultra-sensitive prion detection to monitor inactivation on practical timescales. With the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, EPA, USDA, and the University of Minnesota, we're using the real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay to detect prions in incinerator ash and emissions, test inactivation under lab conditions, and evaluate mobile incinerator efficacy using infected deer carcasses under field conditions.
What are the benefits?
This project will quantify the risk reduction achieved through incineration of CWD-infected materials, assess the effectiveness of mobile units, and inform management guidance on carcass disposal, advancing agencies' ability to control CWD's spread.
Recent accomplishments
In summer 2026, USDA APHIS provided mobile incinerators from the National Veterinary Stockpile to our Madison, Wisconsin campus, where we incinerated 1,000 lbs of CWD-positive and 1,000 lbs of CWD-negative samples. Scientists at the NWHC are now testing residues for prions to assess incineration efficacy. EPA was on-site to evaluate air emissions, including prions and conventional pollutants; analysis of ash and particulate data is ongoing.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease
Advancing the Use of RT-QuIC for Applications in CWD Management
Expanding Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease
Enhanced Capacity for Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Certified Diagnostics at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurologic disease of cervids, presents a monumental management challenge, in part because the etiologic agent, an infectious prion, can be transmitted directly or indirectly and is extremely difficult to inactivate. As CWD expands geographically and increases in prevalence, additional disposal options are desired to safely dispose of CWD-contaminated tissues and carcasses.
What is the issue?
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurologic disease of cervids, presents a monumental management challenge, in part because the etiologic agent, an infectious prion, can be transmitted directly or indirectly and is extremely difficult to inactivate. As CWD expands geographically and increases in prevalence, additional disposal options are desired to safely dispose of CWD-contaminated tissues and carcasses.
Disposal options for CWD-contaminated animal carcasses are limited. Prion inactivation requires high temperatures or strong chemical disinfectants. Landfill operators are hesitant to accept CWD-contaminated animal carcasses. Incineration is one method used to dispose of infected carcasses and has been shown to inactivate prions in laboratory studies under appropriate conditions. However, the efficacy of incineration in the field (e.g., using mobile incineration units) has not been evaluated.
What is the issue?
Disposal options for CWD-contaminated carcasses are limited. Prion inactivation requires high heat or strong chemical disinfectants, and landfill operators are often reluctant to accept contaminated carcasses. Incineration has been shown to inactivated prions in laboratory studies, but its field efficacy, particularly using mobile incineration units, remains untested.
What’s at stake?
Proper disposal of CWD-infected carcasses is critical for management agencies seeking to limit or prevent new infections and environmental contamination.
What is our approach?
We're pairing a field-ready mobile incineration unit with ultra-sensitive prion detection to monitor inactivation on practical timescales. With the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, EPA, USDA, and the University of Minnesota, we're using the real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay to detect prions in incinerator ash and emissions, test inactivation under lab conditions, and evaluate mobile incinerator efficacy using infected deer carcasses under field conditions.
What are the benefits?
This project will quantify the risk reduction achieved through incineration of CWD-infected materials, assess the effectiveness of mobile units, and inform management guidance on carcass disposal, advancing agencies' ability to control CWD's spread.
Recent accomplishments
In summer 2026, USDA APHIS provided mobile incinerators from the National Veterinary Stockpile to our Madison, Wisconsin campus, where we incinerated 1,000 lbs of CWD-positive and 1,000 lbs of CWD-negative samples. Scientists at the NWHC are now testing residues for prions to assess incineration efficacy. EPA was on-site to evaluate air emissions, including prions and conventional pollutants; analysis of ash and particulate data is ongoing.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease
Advancing the Use of RT-QuIC for Applications in CWD Management
Expanding Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease
Enhanced Capacity for Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Certified Diagnostics at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center